Moores upbeat over Lancashire future

PETER Moores says he is still finding out exactly what his Lancashire players can do. The ex-England coach looks almost certain now to end his first season in charge at Old Trafford without any silverware.

PETER Moores says he is still finding out exactly what his Lancashire players can do.

The ex-England coach looks almost certain now to end his first season in charge at Old Trafford without any silverware.

But he is happy with what he has seen from his troops so far this campaign, and is already making plans for next season.

"I am very happy with how we are playing our cricket and going about it and we are finding out quite a lot about players," said Moores, who joined the club in March.

"Against Durham we saw Stephen Parry playing on a turning pitch and having the challenge of opening the batting, we have seen Steven Croft open the batting at Headingley.

"We are finding things out about our players, and they are finding things out about themselves, which is important.

"We have to be philosophical. We are in a bit of transition. Last year three capped players and one uncapped player left and we signed a couple of youngsters, so it has been a land of opportunity for people to try out doing different things.

Action

"VVS Laxman has played beautifully, as has Mal Loye and Mark Chilton. That is all good and we have the youngsters developing as well and that is giving us something to build on for the future - that mixture of old and new together - to produce a competitive side.

"We are really pleased. I think we have lost six games in all forms this year, and to be at the end of August with that record and with a lot of lads who haven't played that much cricket before is good.

"But we are always assessing, discussing, planning for the future. The more you see the clearer some things get, although sometimes they get more muddy!

"We are always looking at what we need to win the Championship, to win a one-day trophy, what talent we can develop and what players we have to bring in."

Lancashire return to Championship action on Wednesday when they host Sussex at Old Trafford, by which time they are hoping skipper Glen Chapple will have fully recovered from the foot injury which has kept him out for seven weeks.